His life and ideals remain an inspiration across the world but in reality, it was the complexity of his character that made Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi such a fascinating subject. Yet, much of the finer details of his life and intellectual growth has been obscured by the greatness of his achievements. To bring them all together in this illustrated biography is to bring alive one of the most revered figures in modern Indian history, and in a way that is a departure from earlier works. Gandhi: An Illustrated Biography is an intimate study into the evolution of a mischievous, fun-loving boy, into the Mahatma. From his schooling and early marriage in Kathiawar to his first brushes with the grandeur of London; from his chance employment for a legal case in South Africa to a train ride in Pietermaritzburg that led to his first fight for equality; from a relatively unsuccessful lawyer to a globally celebrated crusader for human rights – Gandhi was that rare rebel who redefined the meaning of mass resistance for generations to come. This book is the result of intensive research and tracks Gandhi’s life through photographs sourced from across the world. The chronological text and accompanying photographs bring out his unique complexities – his failures and successes, the intimate relations he shared with his contemporaries, and the difficult one he shared with his own family. This book is a labour of love and an attempt to portray Gandhi’s methods and his message for a new generation of readers.
Pramod Kapoor is the founder and publisher of Roli Books, established in 1978. A management graduate from Benaras Hindu University, Kapoor is a connoisseur of images, and over the course of his illustrious career, he has conceived and produced award-winning books that have proven to be game changers in the world of Indian publishing. Be it the hit Then and Now series, the seminal Made for Maharajas, or even the internationally acclaimed New Delhi: The Making of a Capital. His first book as author, Gandhi: An Illustrated Biography, is the result of years of painstaking research on a subject close to his heart. Kapoor is dedicated towards decoding Gandhi for the modern generation, and continues to work on his forthcoming book, My Experiments with Gandhi.